Humility

John 13:4-5 “(Jesus) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

I read that the Greek word usually translated humility occurs seven times in the New Testament, implying self-abasement and suggesting a meekness of spirit. The Greek word is ταπεινοφροσύνη / tapeinophrosynē and Strong’s Bible Dictionary explains that humility (the humiliation of mind) is a virtue, a fruit of the gospel, and exists when a person, through most genuine  self-evaluation, deems themselves worthless. It involves evaluating ourselves as small because we are so. The humble person is not stressing their sinfulness, but their creatureliness, of absolute dependence, of processing nothing and of receiving all things from God. In Greek literature, it was used to describe a slave’s demeaning of himself before his master—an outward prostration, not an inward character trait.

The 1828 Noah Webster’s dictionary defines the word Humility” as: (1) In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. (2) In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will. 

Proverbs 15:33“The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.”

The article points out that the idea that a master would set aside his status and voluntarily become a slave was probably incomprehensible to the world of Jesus’ day. Yet, we are enjoined to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who . . . took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”- Philippians 2:5-8.The Lord Jesus defined humility by His actions, and now we are to voluntarily take up His attitude and “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith [we] are called, With all lowliness [humility] and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” – Ephesians 4:1-3.

Christian humility surpasses all other virtues. Expressing itself as more than acting in a humble fashion, it consists of an inward habit of self-abasement, showing consideration to all others. It’s not just what you do, but who you are and produces an outward expression of humility from the inward natural attribute of being a humble person with a humble heart. This virtuous characteristic in God’s eyes is seen as one of great value. 

1 Peter 5:5-6Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Blessings